God and Recovery
Oh my God! Have you heard or used these three words before? Oh my God… If you are a religious person, or even if you are not, you’ve most likely used these three words together before. God is a mystery if you think about it. “What happened or didn’t happen on The Cross over 2000 years has stayed with us to this day whether you are a religious person or not”. We all use “2023/2024 etc” as a measure of time.. Why is this I wonder? “Whatever happened all that time ago is a mystery to me anyway, but in this blog all I will be doing is sharing my opinion, so you can take it or leave it. I do not mean to inflict any offence or make it sound like I’m trying to force you to become a ‘religious person’ (if you are not and that’s the way you perceive them)”.

I remember as a child being taken to a local church with my family. They had an open day and I believe it was probably around Christmas time. I only just remember flashes of this day. There was a man dressed as if he was Jesus. He was carrying The Cross on his back across a field. This experience as a child was honestly about as far as my Christianity took me to be totally honest with you. I believed in God, but I never read the bible, and never prayed.

As life went on for me (and as it goes on for you) my outlook on life began to change as I matured. My sister’s friend volunteered at the First Hillsong Church in The Hills District in Sydney, Australia. One day (before my stroke) my sister asked me if I wanted to go in with her one day. Reluctantly I did, and this was my first time that I went to Church. However after my stroke and after I came home from hospital it wasn’t until my first physiotherapy (Judy) invited me back to church with her that my eyes started to open up. I loved the hospitality industry and I volunteered for a while in the Hillsong cafe after their church service. I loved seeing how nice people that attended church were. There is something to be learned here I thought.

Judy started this group that was held upstairs after church for the men who attended 180TC which is a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre. In this group we spoke to these men after church and served them tea, coffee, biscuits and cake. Helping out in this group was lovely.
I have mentioned part of my life journey in this blog relating to God simply to give you an example of “the higher power” whatever that may mean to you. Even if you don’t believe in a “higher power”, there are benefits and you can discover helpful tips that may help you. Back when I noticed how nice people were that attended church, I thought that I needed to explore this further. Explore how these people and God, or “the higher power” can help me and others with their stroke recovery.

In October 2023’s podcast I talk with a good friend of mine who I met when I moved in with my fiance to the Southern Highlands, NSW Australia. This man (Doug) has been a minister for 40 years. Doug has a cheeky personality and has great knowledge when it comes to God. Go and have a listen and allow yourself to explore new possibilities that could benefit you and your recovery.
God bless.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3iKDcLHkajQPZ05S4d1ike